Can I exchange my US driver licence for UK driver licence?

mmhtn · Post by **mmhtn** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:32 am

Hi

Can I exchange my US driver licence for UK driver licence? Has anyone done that? On DVLA website, it seems its possible.

Thanks.

Chess · Post by **Chess** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:44 am

mmhtn wrote:Hi

Can I exchange my US driver licence for UK driver licence? Has anyone done that? On DVLA website, it seems its possible.

Thanks.

No.

Post by **John** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:55 am

Just to add to what Chess has posted, have a read of :-

DVLA - Other Countries

So your USA driving licence allows you to drive in the UK for up to 12 months, but during that time you need to obtain a UK provisional licence and then pass the UK driving test. Given the time to take and pass the test it is best to apply for that UK provisional licence sooner rather than later.

So, sorry, it is not possible to simply exchange your USA driving licence for a UK one. Now if you were from Canada or any other "designated country" then it would be very different!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:13 pm

For 'All other countries' Residents it mentions

Provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident

I was in the impression that 12 month is considered from the time of last entry in UK. Even if I am in UK from 3 yrs and I went on a holiday for a week to home country that becomes my last entry.

I fear I am wrong now.

Post by **John** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:26 pm

Chris, with regret to you, the detailed regulations, a Statutory Instrument, confirms your fears .... it is 12 months from when you became resident.

I have not got time now to put in a link to the SI but shall do so later today.

If that USA licence is all you have then you really should not be driving on the UK's roads now.

abercroft · Post by **abercroft** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:33 pm

I have a Canadian licence but notice on the form to exchange it they(DVLA) ask if I took a test in Canada. I did not. I took the test in US but exchanged for Canada brecause I thought I would be relocating there. Turns out I'm going to the UK instead. I have been legally driving for 30 years, including often in the UK.
Will they refuse the exchange?

tgs · Post by **tgs** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:28 pm

Think they will refuse. On the application form you must state the country you obtained your license.... you will have to fill in USA and they most likely to refuse. You can phone them and ask them ?

Post by **John** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:45 pm

Tgs, I suspect that is right, and Abercroft be aware that even if they do exchange the Canadian licence into a UK one, they will only issue a UK licence for automatic cars and not manual cars. That is, you would then need to pass a UK test to drive manual transmission cars.

But as said above, I suspect that is academic.

Joseph · Post by **Joseph** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:42 pm

Chris,
The worst thing about your situation is that you were driving without valid insurance for 2 out of the three years, even though you probably paid for insurance!

You could always try tell the police if they stopped you that you recently arrived and they might believe you. But if you get in an accident you can be sure that the insurance company will check very carefully to make sure you had a valid license when you crashed. If you have a US or other foreign license, they will simply inform you and the police that you don't have a valid license or valid insurance. Notice that they didn't check that you had a valid UK license when they took your premium payments, however!

Joseph

Kayalami · Post by **Kayalami** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:55 pm

Chris wrote:For 'All other countries' Residents it mentions

Provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident

I was in the impression that 12 month is considered from the time of last entry in UK. Even if I am in UK from 3 yrs and I went on a holiday for a week to home country that becomes my last entry.

I fear I am wrong now.

In the case of Flores, a Mexican student was judged to have been driving without a valid licence after an incident - he presented his international driving licence but as he had been resident in the UK for more than 12 months it did not carry. His arguement that he had only returned to the UK shortly prior to the incident from a holiday hence commenced a fresh 12 month period did not hold. Needless to say his insurance was deemed invalid further adding to his woes.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:18 am

Thank you all. I need to be careful now especially after witnessing an accident on M4 Motorway this morning where 4 cars crashed each other in a row.

Post by **John** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:41 am

Chris, you don't "need to be careful now" ... you need to stop driving! Walk to your nearest Post Office and get a form to apply for a Provisional Driving Licence, get that licence, and then ensure that a driver sits as your passenger until you finally pass the UK Driving Test.

Oh, and even with a passenger, you are not allowed to drive on the motorways! So you will have no ability to witness any more motorway accidents for the time being, well at least when you are driving.

infoatltd · Post by **infoatltd** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:43 pm

The main issue is lack of insurance whilst driving unlicensed.

User · Post by **User** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:16 pm

Hi All,

So is there any effect / trouble / issue for Chris in the future, considering he has been driving 2 years in the UK with a US license, even assuming he stops driving from today with his US license? Just curious.

Of course, this is assuming he has had no incidents on UK roads so far.

Also, Chris - I fear that if you are applying for a british citizenship / naturalisation later, you may have to put this fact that "you had been driving with a US license (when you actually needed a UK license) - but you did not know this fact until recently", in the section in the application which talks about good character. It actually asks whether you know of any question that might be relevant to you to check good character.
Of course no one would go and mention these, but not saying that could be an issue.

But if you are never going to go for a British naturalisation, then i guess there might not be any issues.

Ta!

regards.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:25 am

I strongly disbeleive this would be required to be mentioned in any of my future application and would create any problem to me in future as I was ignorant about this.

Post by **John** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:33 am

Chris, I agree with you, I don't think you need to mention anything done in total ignorance of the law. That does not reflect upon your good character.

Inconvenient as it is, have you now stopped driving ... until you have your UK provisional driving licence? If not, well you are now aware that you are driving while unlicensed and as a side-effect you are also driving while uninsured. Now if you are still driving well that would reflect upon your good character.

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Can I exchange my US driver licence for UK driver licence?

Can I exchange my US driver licence for UK driver licence?

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